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Wolverine spotted in California for only the second time in a century

Wolverine - Reuters
Wolverine - Reuters

A wolverine has been seen walking through snow in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, a rare occurrence given only one has been seen in California in the past century.

While wolverines are native to that part of the US, the local population was thought to be extinct since the 1920s — likely the result of hunting and fur trapping in the decades following the Gold Rush, though records from the time do not indicate what exactly caused the decline.

One wolverine was spotted in California between 2008 to 2018, beginning in the Tahoe National Forest, officials said.

The young male recently photographed (below), and seen in three different locations, was likely a different one because the animal’s lifespan is usually 12 to 13 years.

wolverine - National Park Service/AP
wolverine - National Park Service/AP

Local wildlife officers believe the animal may have been searching for a mate as it travelled through Inyo National Forest and Yosemite National Park.

“It’s just really exciting and surprising,” said Daniel Gammons, a senior environmental scientist in California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Though usually less than 43 inches in length, wolverines are powerful, fierce creatures that have sharp claws to help them move in remote, rugged mountain terrain.

Male wolverines walk through huge territories — easily several hundred square miles — and this winter’s heavy snowfall in the region may have created “habitat bridges” for the wolverine, Mr Gammons said.

It was thought the animal could have travelled from the Rocky and Cascade mountain ranges, or from as far away as Canada or Alaska.